Retracting type theater chair



1949 J. G. PROSSER ETAL 7 2,492,110

RETRACTING TYPE THEATER CHAIR Filed June 26, 194$ 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS JZJeplz GZProsaer irfl'homaa H Proaser B J ATTORNEY 1949 J. G. PROSSER ETAL 2,492,110

RETRACTING TYPE THEATER CHAIR Filed June 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INYENTORS JbJep/z 6 .Pt'0JJerB$)TI|omas Kl'msev ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 20, 1949 Joseph G. Prosser and Thomas W. Pro'sser, Pasadena, Calif., assignors to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, ,Mich., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 26, 1946, Serial No. 679,358 )6 Claims. (c1.155 11s) The present invention relates to chairs and more particularly to chairs of the retracting type for use in theaters, auditoriums and the like. This application is a continuation-in-part of our co-pending application Serial No. 679,354 flied June 26, 1946.

. The primaryobjects oi the invention are to provide an improved chair of the retracting type wherein the occupant may move the seat rearwardly in order to permit others to pass in front of him without his having to rise from the seat; to provide such a chair having a combination link and roller or link and sliding block mechanism for mounting the chair back and seat, which. mechanism insures easy and comfortable forward and rearward movements and which is concealed below the level of the chair seat; to provide such a chair which when retracted occupies a minimum of space in the rear of the chair; to provide such a chair having improved means for mounting on spaced chair-supporting standards; and in general to provide such a retracting chair which is emcient in operation, reasonably economical in manufacture and at tractive in appearance.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a retracting chair showing the chair seat and back in their normal, forward positions for occupancy;

Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 showing the chair seat and back in their retracted positions;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevational View of the left-hand side of the chair;

Figure 4 is an inside elevational view of the same, certainparts being shown in vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3, and the parts of the operating mechanism being shown in their forward positions;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 with the operating parts being shown in their rearward positions of retraction.

Referring now in detail to these drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals in the several views, the retracting chair there shown is mounted on a frame comprising spaced, upright, chair-supporting standards 1 having inwardly projecting lugs 2 thereon provided with vertical stud-receiving slots 3, mounting members 4 having outwardly turned flanges 5 with depending, threaded studs 6 adapt ed to fit into the slots 3, nut I threaded on the lower ends of the studs 6, and a transverse bar I secured as by welding to the opposite mounting members 4. Theframe thus formed is of sturdyand rigid construction. If desired, members 9 (see Figures 1-3) of rubber, cork or other resilient material may be interposed between the flanges 5 of the mounting members and the lugs 2 on the standards for absorbing any vibration of the chair during its retracting and returning movements.

The mounting and operating mechanisms on opposite sides of the chair being of like construction, only one side is shown in Figures 3, 4 and5 and hereinafter described. The mounting member 4 has a pair of vertically spaced, forwardly-rearwardly extending guide tracks or ways, the upper way being designated Ill and the lower way being designated H on the drawing, A combination seat and back support or carrier l2 bears in the lower way I I, being provided with a sliding block or roller l3 moving forwardly and rearwardly in this way II.

A rear supporting link [4 has its lower end pivotally connected to the mounting member 4. A side plate l5 of generallytriangular shape is pivotally connected to the. upper end of the rear supporting link 14 and to the rearward end of the carrier l2. The forward end of the side plate l5 bears in the upper way ll) of the mounting member 4, being provided with a sliding block or roller l6 movable forwardly-rearwardly in this way Ill.

As here shown, the lower track or way II is substantially horizontal, while the upper track or way I0 is of arcuate or cammed formation extending rearwardly-downwardly. It will be seen that by this arrangement, when the carrier l2 moves rearwardly in a substantially straight path, the side plate l5 moves rearwardly and is also turned in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figures 4 and 5 about its pivotal connection with the rear supporting link [4.

The chair back I! is mounted on inwardly turned flanges ill of the side plates 15 on opposite sides of the chair, as by means of screws IS. The chair seat 20 is provided with seat arms 21 secured to the opposite sides thereof as by means of screws 22, and these seat arms 2| are pivotally connected at 23 to the carriers I2 on opposite sidesof the chair. The seat is thus movable forwardly and rearwardly with the carriers l2, and is also turnable about a horizontal axis so that it may be raised in order to facilitate sweeping under the chair. When in its lowered position of occupancy, the seat is supported forwardly of its axis of turning movement by means required for retraction in themear'of the'chair.

Forward and rearward movements of thechair are stopped by contact of the'rblocksor rollers l3 and I6 with stop means which comprise the" ends" of the ways II and I respectively.

4 means for limiting the forward and rearward movements of the carriers.

3. In a chair, a frame having at each of its opposite Sides a pair of vertically spaced, forwardly-rearwardly extending ways, the lower ways being substantially horizontal and the upper ways being inclined forwardlyupwardly;-carriers bearing in the. lower ways for forward and rearward movements, a chair seat mounted on the carriers and movable forwardly and rearwardly .th erewith sid e plates pivotally connected to said carriers respectively, rear supporting links having theirlowerends. pivotally connected to the frame It will thus be seen that a retractir 1g ghair has been provided having a novel combination of links and rollers in which the mounting and operating mechanism islocated out of sight below theseat level, and which mechanism is arranged for easy and comfortable forward-rearward movements of the chair; and while but'one specific embodimentrof the inventionhas been hergein shown and described, it will be .understood that -certain details" of the construction shown: may be altered -or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same iszdefined by the following claims, wherein the wordframe. is'to be construedbroadly enougheto include either a a unitary assembly or a mind spaced chairrstandards whose only rigid connection ls the 'floor'upon which such pair of standards is installed; 1 T111 I 1: Inra chair, 'aframe havlng at" each or its opposite sides a pair of yertieauypaces; forwardly-rearwardly' extending ways, the lower .ways being substantially horizontal and the upper ways being inclined forwardly- 'upwardly ,carriers bearing in the :lower 'ways for forward and rearward movements, a'chairseat'mounted on the carriers and movable forwardly and 'rearwa'r'dl'y therewith, a chair back'pivo'tally connected to the carriers movable forwardly and rearwardly with I said carriers and turnable about a horizontal axis, a supporting-link having its lower endpivotally connected to theframe anditsupper ,endpivotally connected to the-back, means on the back bearing in the upper ways for varying the angular inclination of the back relative to the seat duringthe-forward and rearward move? mentsrthereof, and stop meansforlimiting the forward and rearward movements-of the carriers.

2. Ina-chair, afframe having at each of its opposite sides a. pair 'of vertically spaced, forwardly-rearwardly extending ways, the lower sways being substantially horizontal and the upper ways. being inclinedforwardly-upwardly, carriers bearing in the lower...waysforforward and rearwardmovements, a chair=seat mounted on'the carriers turnably about a'horizontal axis and movable forwardly and rearwardlywith the carriers, means onlthe carriers for supporting the seat .in a lowered-positionfor occupancy, a chair back pivotally connected to the carriers movable forwardly and rearwardiy with ,said carriers and turnable about a horizontahaxls; a supporting link having its lower end" pivotally connected to the frame and it s-upper end pivotally connected to the bash-means onthe back bearing in the uppenways for-varying the angular inclination of the back relative to the-seat during the for: Ward an a w movements thereof, and stop and their'upper ends pivotally connected to the side plates'iespectively, a chair back mounted on the side plates, said side plates bearing in the upper ways ,on the frame for effecting movement of the side plates turnably about a horizontal axis "in order to vary the angular inclination of the back relative to the seat during the forward and rearward movements thereof, and stop means for. limiting the-forward and rearwardmovements .of'the carriers.

41 In, a cha'ir, a iframehaving at each of its opposite sides a-pair of vertically spaced, forwardly-rearwardly extending ways, carrierslbearingin the lower ways for forward and rearward movements, a chair seat mounted onthe carriers and movable forwardly and rearwardly therewith, side plates pivotally connected to said :carriers respectively, rear supporting links having their slowerends pivotally connected to the frame and their upper'ends pivotally connected to the side plates respe'ctively, a chair back mounted on the side? plates; the upper ways on theirame being of-iorwardly-upwardly inclined cammed formati'on" and said side plates bearing in these upper ways 'for"'forward rearward movement and for turning movement about a horizontal axis for varying the angular inclination of the back from a forwardly downwardly extending position to a substantially vertical position during rearward movement of the back and for opposite turning movement during forward movement of the back,

1 and stop means for limiting 'the forward and rearward movements of the carriers.

-5.*"In a chair'f a frame having at each of its op'po 'te sides' a"pa'ir of vertically spaced, forwardly-rearwardly extending ways, the lower ways eing substantially horizontal and the upper Waysbeing inclined forwardly-upwardly, carriers having rollers bearing in the lower ways for for- Ward and rearward movements, a chair seat m'ountedontth carriers and movable forwardly and rearw 'a'rdly'therewith, a'chair back pivotally 'conne'ctedjto the carriers movable forwardly and ywith said carriers andturnable about We axis .t up t n n having its lower end pivotally connectedtothe frame and er end y q iv cgtally connected to the hack, thefb ack bearing ,in the upper ways rig the'angular inclination of the'back relative to theseat during the'forward and rearward movements I thereof, and 1 stop means for limiting the forward and rearward movements and rearwardiy therewith, side plates pivotally connected to said carriers respectively, rear supporting links having their lower ends pivotally connected to the frame and their upper ends pivotally connected to the side plates respectively, achair back mounted on the side plates, said side plates having rollers bearing in the upper ways on the frame for efiecting movement of the side plates turnably about a horizontal axis in order to vary the angular inclination of the back relative to the seat during the forward and rearward movements thereof, and stop means for limiting the forward and rearward movements oi the carriers.

JOSEPH G. PROSSER. THOMAS W. PROSSER.

REFERENCES man The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

